Cowen hasn’t the courage to end love affair with social partners

Brian Cowen’s government is predicated on the primacy of partnership. We have delayed taking the sharp correctional measures required because the pillars of partnership were in denial about economic reality. What a costly delay. Our national debt is set to pole-vault from €30bn to €70bn in the space of two years.

THE wave of euphoria surrounding Barack Obama’s inauguration reminded me of past political glory here.

Jack Lynch swept to power with a 20-seat majority in 1977. Garret FitzGerald catapulted Fine Gael to the dizzy heights of 70 Dáil seats in the early 1980s. Dick Spring’s wave of success in 1992, following Mary Robinson’s election to the presidency, resulted in more than 30 Labour TDs.